Autologous dendritic cells pulsed with lysate from an allogeneic hepatic cancer cell line as a treatment for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: A pilot study

•A phase II trial to assess DCs vaccine safety and efficacy in advanced HCC treatment.•Autologous DCs vaccine was pulsed with tumor lysate antigens from HepG2 cell line.•Primary outcomes were toxicity and immunological response.•Secondary outcomes were clinical, biochemical and radiological responses.•DCs vaccine had minimal adverse effects with no autoimmunity.•DCs vaccine is not effective as an adjuvant therapy if combined with TACE.•Large cohort testing is needed to justify DCs vaccine therapeutic efficacy in HCC.